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Our house was built in 1912 and originally home to the Read family. George W. Read, a foreman, his wife Sarah and their grown daughters Eva (21 years old) and Sadie (17 years old) had just arrived from Brockville, Ontario.

In 1913 the Reads moved to another home in Sunalta – 1520 – 13th Ave W, and our house became home to newlyweds Uriah J. and Fanny Barr. The couple, from Manitoba, were married in Minnedosa on November 8, 1911. They came to Calgary in 1913 where Uriah got a job as a clerk at Canadian Western Natural Gas. By 1914, the Barrs had moved to a home at 1102 – 14th St. W and once again our house changed hands. It became home to the Davidson family, who would resided here for the next several decade.

George A. Davidson (b. 1877), from Brighton, Ontario, came to Calgary in 1911 with his wife Ida (b. 1876) and their young son Walter (b. 1909). George’s father Walter owned a tailor shop back in Brighton, and when George, also a tailor, arrived in Calgary he worked for a few years for various clothing companies, such as the Diamond Clothing Co. and Scotland Woolen Mills. He then worked as a school teacher and principal.

Records for George A. Davidson do not exist after 1919 and in 1920 Ida is listed as the main occupant of 1724 14th Ave W. Presumably he died around this time and left his wife and two young children (5 and 10 years old). At this time Ida returned to work as a nurse with the Calgary School Board (she was a nurse in Ontario prior to getting married). Also at some point during this time our house was turned into suites, presumably for extra income for Ida and her sons. Mrs. Davidson continued to work as a nurse at the school board and live in this house until the mid-1950s, at times her grown sons also resided with her.

Our house underwent extensive renovations in the late 1980s – converted from suites back to a single family home. Some original features were kept such as two stained glassed windows, and the fireplace.